Cigar processing machine



March 9, 1965 J. F. CAIN ETAL CIGAR PROCESSING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 27, 1965 INVENTORS & YK. 5 Km Y 50 E O N NM m A C D A F SN" mwM M M 6 Y B March 9,11965 J. F. CAIN ETAL CIGAR PROCESSING MACHINE Filed Aug. 27, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS JAMES F. CAIN MARVIN H. GRABOSKY Bu WALTER D. GURDACK ATTORNEYS March 9, 1965 J. F. CAIN ETAL 3,172,411

CIGAR PROCESSING MACHINE Filed Aug- 27, 1963 f 5 Sheets-Sheet s I80 \4 {G L ,448 '2.

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A INVENTORS JAMES F. CAIN MARVIN H. GRABQSKY 8| WALTER D. GURDACK ATTORNEYS J. F. CAIN ETAL 3,172,411

CIGAR PROCESSING MACHINE March 9, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug- 27, 1963 FIG.5.

INVENTORS mass F. CAIN MARVIN H. GRABOSKY a WALTER o. GURDACK 5. m. w u;

FIG. 7.

ATTORNEYS March 9, 1965 J. F. CAIN ETAL 3,172,411

CIGAR PROCESSING MACHINE Filed Aug. ,27, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. IO

INVENTORS JAMES F. CAIN MARVIN H. GRABOSKY 8 WALTER D. GURDACK WW\ ,$,MA ATTORNEYS FIG. ll.

United States Patent Ofiice 3,172,411 Patented Mar. 9, 1965 3,172,411 CIGAR PROCESSING MACHINE James F. Cain, Marvin H. Grahosky, and Walter I). Gurdack, 'Philadeiphia, Pa, assignors to Bayuh Cigars Incorporated, Phiiadelphia, lla., a corporation of Maryland Filed Aug. 27, 1963, Ser. No. 304,843? 8 Claims. (Cl. 131-79) This invention relates to a cigar processing machine and more particularly relates to a machine for compacting cigars after they have been formed and providing them with a surface to prevent rolling during further handling.

After cigars are formed, it is a normal practice to tightly pack them in a compression box in order to compact the cigars and flatten the outer surfaces thereof. The cigars remain in the boxes for a period of normally about two days in an atmosphere to which the cigars can lose moisture until sufiieient moisture is lost so that the cigars tend to retain the form to which they have been compressed in the box. After being thus processed, the cigars are further handled with a view to ultimate pack-aging. Thus the cigars may be color sorted, banded and cellophane Wrapped and then placed in boxes in which they will be sold. It is particularly during the banding operation that the cigar requires a surface which will prevent it from rolling. It will be readily apparent that the initial boxing operation to compact the cigars to provide a nonrollin surface is an expensive one in that it requires the maintenance of a very large stock of compacting boxes, a complex problem of transporting and storing these boxes and an entering of inevitable variables in the conditions to which the cigars are subject due to variations, for example, in storage time and atmospheric conditions. This equally applies when trays are used for compression instead of boxes.

It is the primary objective of this invention to provide a machine which will eliminate the foregoing problems. If color sorting is not necessary, the machine of this invention can take cigars immediately after they are formed in a continuous manner and process them so as to continuously deliver cigars which are immediately available for handing and cellophane wrapping and subsequent packing. In view of the above discussed problems, it is believed that such a continuous handling of cigars right from production on through to packaging is a marked improvement in the art. The cost savings are great. Minute by minute control of each cigar from the time of its formation until it is sealed into cellophane is provided with a consequent uniformity of product which could not heretofore be achieved. Further, since from the time a cigar is formed until it is wrapped in cellophane it is constantly losing essential oils to the atmosphere, the elimination of the large period of time between formation and Wrapping in cellophane greatly increases the quality of the end product cigar.

The invention and its objectives will be understood from a reading of the following description in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a machine in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical section of the machine of FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a machine in accordance 22 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an end elevation of the loading conveyor;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical section taken on the plane indicated by the line 4-4 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a side perspective view showing means for supplying cigars to the loading conveyor;

FIGURE 6 is a side perspective view of a mold in the machine of FIGURE 1 in a position to receive a cigar;

loaded into mold 355. As best seen in FIGURES 1 and 9 FIGURE 7 is a side perspective view of the mold of FIGURE 6 after a cigar has been introduced and the mold partially closed;

FIGURE 8 is a front perspective view of the mold of the machine of FIGURE 1 together with associated parts near the cigars discharge position;

FIGURE 9 is a front perspective view of the mold of FIGURE 1 together with associated cams for closing the mold;

FIGURE 10 is a transverse vertical section through a cigar after it is removed from the mold; and

FIGURE 11 is an extension of the section of FIGURE 2 to the right to show the guide strip for guiding the mold as it turns at the end of the machine.

Referring first to FIGURE 1, a compacting machine 2 in accordance with the invention has a frame 4 which includes brackets 6 supporting longitudinal plates 8 and 10. A motor 12 is mounted on plates 8 and It and drives a sprocket 14 which in turn drives a chain 16 engaging sprocket 18. A shaft 20 is driven by spocket 18 and in turn drives a sprocket 22 (FIGURE 2) carrying a chain 24 which engages and drives a sprocket 26 fixedly secured to a shaft 28- (FIGURE 2).

Referring now to FIGURES 2 and 8, chain 24 carries a series of spaced brackets 32 each of which is fixedly secured to a plate 34 which in turn is fixedly secured to bottom 36 of a mold 38. Mold 38 has a side 40 integral with bottom 36 and a side 44 pivotally secured to bottom 36 by a piano hinge indicated at 46. Plate 34 can support side 44 to prevent side 44 from dropping below the plane of bottom 36. A pair of pins 48 and 50 are fixedly secured to the upper edge of side 44.

The top of mold 38 is formed by a rod 52 pivotally secured to closed end 54 of mold 3% at 56 as most clearly seen in FIGURE 6. Rod 52 has a flattened upper surf-ace 58 to which is secured a strip 60 having a cam surface 62 adjacent the pivoted end of rod 52. A cam follower pin 64 extends outwardly from rod 52 and is freely accommodate by opening 66 in side 40 (FIGURE 6).

The machine 2 has a loading station indicated generally at L in FIGURE 1 and a discharge station generally at D in FIGURE 2. In the area of the loading station L a cam 70 acts to engage cam follower pin 64 to position rod 52 in an elevated position to permit the loading of a cigar into mold 38, the cam 70 permitting the lowering of rod 52 by gravity after the cigar has been a cam 72 is positioned to pivot side 44 of mold 38 upwardly at loading station L to its closed position in which position side 44 is maintained by a guide bar 74. A guide bar 71 engages the top of mold side 40 to steady mold 38 in the vicinity of the loading station L. A guide bar 76 has a cam '78 which engages cam portion 62 of strip 60 on bar 52 to urge bar 52 into the closed position where it is maintained by bar 76.

As best seen in FIGURE 4, bar 76 supported by a series of rods 89 each fixedly secured to a plate 82 adjustably mounted on plates 84 and 86 by studs 88 and opposed nuts 99 and 92. Guide bar 74 is fixedly secured to plate 84 and is opposite a guide bar 94 fixedly secured to plate 86. Longitudinally extending heaters 96 of the electrical resistance type are secured to plates 84 and 86 opposite guide bars 74 and 94 in order to heat these bars which in turn heat mold 38, all of these parts preferably being made of a good heat conducting metal to facilitate the heating. Referring particularly to FIGURE 4, it will be seen that chain 24 is supported by a T-shaped member 98 mounted on a transverse frame member 100 which also supports plates 84 and 86.

Referring particularly to FIGURE 2, guide bar 104 is connected to frame 4 by a bar 105 secured to frame 4. Bar 104 is spaced from chain 24 a distance to permit the 142 which drives conveyor chain 144.

mold 38 to in effect turn the corner as the direction of travel of chain 24 is reversed by passing around sprocket 22. In addition, bar 164 can be flexed outwardly by mold 38 to accommodate its passage. The only requisite during the turning of the corner is that rod 52 retain the cigar within the mold.

As the mold 38 comes out of the turn, strip 60 on bar 52 is engaged by a guide bar 106, this engagement occurring before the strip 60 is released by guide bar 164. As best seen in FIGURE 4, guide bar 106 is supported by a plurality of rods 108 secured to a plate 110 adjustably mounted on a pair of studs 112, 112 by opposed nuts 114. Studs 112 are secured to plates 116, 116 which are mounted on frame member 100. Guide bars 74 and 94 are also supported by plates 116, 116. Electrical resistance heaters 118, 118 are secured to plates 116, 116 opposite guide bars 74 and 94 respectively to heat the guide bars in order to heat mold 38. A T-shaped member 122 is secured to frame member 100 and acts to back up chain 24.

the mold for discharge.

Referring now to FIGURE 3, shaft 28 drives a bevel gear 134 which in turn drives a bevel 136 secured to a 'shaft indicated at 138 which drives a sprocket (not shown) carrying chain 140 which in turn drives double sprocket Spaced cigar pusher members 146 are secured to chain 144. Chain 144 engages sprocket 148 and sprocket 150 and an additional sprocket not shown to provide an endless path for the chain.

Referring now particularly to FIGURE 5, upstanding end guide members 152, 152 and an upstanding central "guide member 154 provided for steadying a cigar 155 being carried by pusher member 146. A pair of perforated pipes 156 and 158 are arranged to discharge hot air towards the head 159 of a cigar 155, the hot air being supplied from a source not shown. The cigar 155 may be typically supplied to pusher members 146 in timed relationship by a conveyor 161 which can, for example, convey the cigars directly from a cigar making machine. Conveyor 160 has an endless chain 162 running below a plate 164 which has a downwardly sloping terminal end 166 to permit the cigars to roll down into a position to be engaged by pusher members 146. Chain 162 has secured thereto pusher members 168 which engage cigars 155 and cause them to roll along plate 164. Vertical guide members 170 and 172 are provided adjacent conveyor 160. A perforate pipe 174 which is a branch of pipe 156 directs hot air to the head end 159 of each cigar 155.

Operation While the above description has outlined the operation of the essential parts of the machine 2, a brief summary of operation will clarify the results achieved by r, the machine.

As a cigar 155 is being rolled along by conveyor 160 the hot air from pipe 174 provides a drying action for the head end of the cigar which if it has been freshly made contains a large amount of moisture due to the anchonng of the head end with glue. Similarly, as the .cigar is carried upwardly by pusher member 146 on chain cigars are free to roll down by gravity onto fingers 155i) and 182, the timed relationship between the rate of travel of chain 144 and the rate of travel of chain 24 being such that a cigar 155 is so positioned after the preceding cigar has been removed from fingers 180 and 182. The thus positioned cigar is engaged by pins 48 and 50 on side 44 of mold 38 as side 44 is moved upwardly towards the closed position by cam 72. This causes the cigars to drop onto bottom 36 of mold 38 before side 44 is fully closed. Subsequently, cam follower pin 64 of rod 52 is released from cam 70 and rod 52 is forced down onto the cigars by the initial engagement of cam portion 62 of strip, 66 with cam end 78 of bar 76 and subsequently by the engagement of the remainder of bar 76. This full closing of mold 38 results in pressing the cigar with the rod 52 forming a concave depression in the cigar. The heaters 96, 96 and 118, 118, may be, for example, in the range of from about to 170 F. to cause the removal of a substantial amount of moisture from the cigar in order to bring it to the desired moisture level for ultimate packaging, The amount of heat and the length of its application can obviously be varied to suit varying circumstances. If the cigar has a satisfactory moisture content at the outset, the heating element need not be employed.

Thus from the loading station to the discharge station the cigar in mold 38 will be subjected to compression and, if desired, heat and compression being maintained with the exception of the period during the turn around sprocket 22.

As the mold 38 approaches discharge station D, sharp edge 126 of cam 124 enters inside of side 44 and cam 124 causes door 44 to open to a position where pins 48 and 50 are engaged by carn 128. After rod 52 and strip 60 clear bar 106 they drop rapidly permitting the cigar to discharge by gravity from mold 38. As the mold 38 is turned around to the loading position L, side 44 is held open by the engagement of pins 48 and 56 with cam 128 until it remains open by gravity, it being noted that side 44 can only open until it lies in the plane of bottom 36 due to being supported on plate 34. As mold 38 approaches'the loading station, pin 64 engages cam 70 to hold rod 52 upwardly to permit the entry of a cigar into the mold due to the upward movement of pins 48 and 51).

The processed cigar has the appearance shown in FIGURE 10. One side of the cigar will have a concavity indicated at199 which, in eifect, provides a pair of spaced longitudinal runners 192 and 194 which form a stable non-rolling surface for the cigar. This latter surface as discussedabove is of importance in order that the cigar may be stabilized for the banding and other subsequent operations and is particularly advantageous since after being processed the cigar will have a tendency to slowly return somewhat to its original shape. Obviously a very substantial change is necessary before the concavity 120 and runners 192 and 124 are eliminated. Actually, in many circumstances it is satisfactory to substitute a flat member for the rod 52 and simply form four flat sides of the cigar. For all conditions however, forming a concavity is the best procedure. It has an addi tional advantage in that it provides for a more uniform gathering of the wrapper and binder eliminating the possibility of wrinkling which can occur if all of the sides of the mold are flat.

What is claimed is:

1. A cigar processing machine comprising an endless conveyor having an upper reach and a lower reach, a

cigar mold secured to the conveyor, said cigar mold having its length extending longitudinally of the conveyor and having a pivoted top and a pivoted side, said pivoted top having its inside surface convex transverse to the length of the mold, a loading station adjacent the upper reach of the conveyor, a discharge station adjacent the lower reach of the conveyor, means to close the top and pivoted side of the mold, maintain said top and side closed during the travel of the mold from the loading station to the discharge station and form a concave depression in the portion of a contained cigar engaged by the said top of the mold, and means to open the mold and discharge the contained cigar at the discharge station.

2. A machine in accordance with claim 1 having means to heat the mold during a portion of its travel to the discharge station.

3. A machine in accordance with claim 1 having a support for a cigar at the loading station, and said means to close the side of the mold including pin means secured to the pivoted side of the mold, and a cam to pivot said side upwardly to cause the pin means to urge the cigar from the support into the mold and close said side.

4. A machine in accordance with claim 1 having a support for a cigar at the loading station, and said means to close the side of the mold including pin means secured to the pivoted side of the mold and a cam to pivot said side upwardly to cause the pin means to urge the cigar from the support into the mold and close said side and cam means extending from the discharge station to the loading station for engagement of the pins to maintain the pivoted side open.

5. A machine in accordance with claim 1 in which a cam follower is secured to the top of the mold and a cam adjacent the loading station is adapted to engage said cam follower and maintain said top in an open position as it passes the loading station.

6. A machine in accordance with claim 1 in which the means to open the mold includes cam means to open the pivoted side of the mold and to maintain said pivoted side of the mold in the open position as it travels from the discharge station to the loading station.

7. A cigar processing machine comprising an endless conveyor having an upper reach and a lower reach, a cigar mold having a pivoted top and a pivoted side, a loading station adjacent the upper reach of the conveyor, a support for a cigar at the loading station, pin means secured to the pivoted side of the mold, a cam to pivot said side upwardly to cause the pin means to urge the cigar from the support into the mold and close said side, a discharge station adjacent the lower reach of the conveyor, means to close the top of the mold, maintain said top and side closed during the travel of the mold from the loading station to the discharge station and compress a contained cigar during at least a portion of said travel and means to open the mold and discharge the contained cigar at the discharge station.

8. A cigar processing machine comprising an endless conveyor having an upper reach and a lower reach, a cigar mold having a pivoted top and a pivoted side, a loading station adjacent the upper reach of the conveyor, a support for a cigar at the loading station, pin means secured to the pivoted side of the mold, a cam to pivot said side upwardly to cause the pin means to urge the cigar from the support into the mold and close said side, a discharge station adjacent the lower reach of the conveyor, means to close the top of the mold, maintain said top and side closed during the travel of the mold from the loading station to the discharge station and compress a contained cigar during at least a portion of said travel, means to open the mold and discharge the contained cigar at the discharge station, and cam means extending from the discharge station to the loading station for engagement of the pins to maintain the pivoted side open.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 85,344 12/68 Studer 131-85 131,362 9/72 Mann 131-86 591,250 10/97 Georgii 131-87 X 1,233,048 7/17 Goodall 13185 X 1,785,822 12/30 Snyder 131-87 X 1,944,760 1/ 34 Rundell 13187 X 2,314,734 3/43 Ptasnik 13179 2,750,625 6/56 Colombo l8-21 X 3,057,361 10/62 Respess 13179 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,177,625 12/58 France.

234,405 5/11 Germany.

SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner, 

1. A CIGAR PROCESSING MACHINE COMPRISING AN ENDLESS CONVEYOR HAVING AN UPPER REACH AND A LOWER REACH, A CIGAR MOLD SECURED TO THE CONVEYOR, SAID CIGAR MOLD HAVING ITS LENGTH EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY OF THE CONVEYOR AND HAVING A PIVOTED TOP AND A PIVOTED SIDE, SAID PIVOTED TOP HAVING ITS INSIDE SURFACE CONVEX TRANSVERSE TO THE LENGTH OF THE MOLD, A LOADING STATION ADJACENT THE UPPER REACH OF THE CONVEYOR, A DISCHARGE STATION ADJACENT THE LOWER REACH OF THE CONVEYOR, MEANS TO CLOSE THE TOP AND PIVOTED SIDE OF THE MOLD, MAINTAIN SAID TOP AND SIDE CLOSED DURING THE TRAVEL OF THE MOLD FROM THE LOADING STATION TO THE DISCHARGE STATION AND FORM A CONCAVE DEPRESSION IN THE PORTION OF A CONTAINER CIGAR ENGAGED BY THE SAME TOP OF THE MOLD, AND MEANS TO OPEN THE MOLD AND DISCHARGE THE CONTAINED CIGAR AT THE DISCHARGE STATION. 